IV 

113TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. RES. 552 

Celebrating the 50th anniversary of the 1964 World’s Fair in Queens, New 

York. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

APRIL 10, 2014 

Mr. CROWLEY (for himself, Mr. ENGEL, Mr. GRIMM, Mr. HIGGINS, Mr. 

ISRAEL, Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York, Ms. MENG, Mr. NADLER, Mr. OWENS, and Mr. RANGEL) submitted the following resolution; 

which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs 

RESOLUTION 

Celebrating the 50th anniversary of the 1964 World’s Fair 

in Queens, New York. 

Whereas the 1964 New York World’s Fair at Flushing Meadows Corona Park in Queens, New York, opened April 22, 

1964; 

Whereas Queens had previously hosted the World’s Fair in 

1939, which inspired the fair 25 years later; 

Whereas over 51,000,000 people attended the 1964 World’s 

Fair over its two seasons, setting a new record for international expositions; 

Whereas the theme for the 1964 World’s Fair was ‘‘Peace 

Through Understanding’’; 


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Whereas the enduring symbol of the fair was the Unisphere, 

a 12-story high steel sphere representing the earth, which 

was dedicated to ‘‘Man’s Achievement on a Shrinking 

Globe in an Expanding Universe’’; 

Whereas the fair was attended by luminaries such as Dr. 

Martin Luther King, Jr., and his family, and included 

tributes to President John F. Kennedy, who had broken 

ground for the World’s Fair pavilion in December 1962, 

but had been assassinated in November 1963 before the 

fair opened; 

Whereas the fair showcased American industry and technology, highlighting innovations of the future and giving 

many attendees their first opportunity to interact with 

computers, color televisions, and other then-modern marvels; 

Whereas the fair hosted a wide variety of countries and demonstrated a major commitment to international culture, 

for which Queens has become famous; 

Whereas the fair featured well-known displays from around 

the world, including the Dead Sea Scrolls and 

Michelangelo’s Pieta, displayed internationally for the 

first time; 

Whereas the fair recognized America’s space program by displaying the Aurora 7 spacecraft piloted around the earth 

by Scott Carpenter, as well as models of Gemini and 

Apollo rockets and spacecraft; 

Whereas the fair demonstrated an architectural style and exhibits that would go on to become icons of American culture, including the first Ford Mustang and Disney’s ‘‘It’s 

A Small World’’ exhibit; 


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Whereas numerous states hosted pavilions exhibiting local industries and cuisine, reflecting the diversity of our nation; 

Whereas New York City exhibited the ‘‘Panorama of the City 

of New York’’ that today is on permanent exhibit at the 

Queens Museum and continues to be updated to reflect 

the ever-changing cityscape of New York City; 

Whereas New York State hosted the event from its ‘‘Tent of 

Tomorrow’’ pavilion, featuring the largest cable suspension roof in the world and a terrazzo floor with a large 

scale replica of a New York State highway map; 

Whereas the New York State Pavilion was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2009; 

Whereas the legacy of the World’s Fair remains strong in 

Queens, as the investments in Flushing Meadows Corona 

Park made for the fair created an enduring urban green 

space that has been used by generations of New Yorkers; 

Whereas many of the World’s Fair structures are still used 

today by Queens institutions like the New York Hall of 

Science, Queens Zoo, Queens Theater and Queens Museum, which also incorporates structures from the 1939 

World’s Fair and was a temporary home for the United 

Nations General Assembly; 

Whereas the Unisphere, New York State Pavilion and the flying-saucer-shaped observation towers have become recognized symbols of the World’s Fair and key landmarks of 

Flushing Meadows Corona Park; 

Whereas the 1964 World’s Fair and its legacy are a point of 

pride for the borough of Queens and its residents; and 

Whereas in the 50 years since the last World’s Fair, New 

York City has continued to enhance its reputation as a 


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center of commerce, innovation, technology, and international culture: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) celebrates the 50th anniversary of the 1964 

3 New York World’s Fair; 

4 (2) recognizes the achievements of the 1964 

5 World’s Fair and its lasting legacy in not only tech6 nology, industry, and entertainment, but in the 

7 hearts and minds of America; and 

8 (3) commends the City of New York and the 

9 borough of Queens for their furthering of the ideals 

10 and themes of the 1964 World’s Fair over the past 

11 50 years. 

Æ 


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